Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Posts Tagged ‘mint’

Thin Mint Donuts

Posted in Life, Recipes, tagged , , , , on March 15, 2013| 1 Comment »

DSC_2114

I lied my face of when I said I wasn’t doing another Friday Favorites. As I sit here, contemplating how I could possibly top the brilliance of my Veronica Mar’s post,  I realized, Oh wait, I don’t have to! I’ll just throw together all my favorites from the week and have that entertain you! Because really, the only thing that is more awesome then me rambling on about the pope, V-Mars and (more) St. Patty’s Day recipes, is Justin Timberlake…dressed as tofu!

Justin Timberlake’s SNL performance, which every vegan blog has posted this week. I don’t care. It’s brilliant!

Chocolove Chocolate bars– namely dark chocolate with almonds and sea salt or dark chocolate coffee. I’ve pretty much given up all desserts since Rachel and I entered this Team Lean Challenge…except this chocolate. It gets me through man…it gets me through…

DSC_2150

The Top 16 White People Song Lyrics Statuses and Tweets of All Time by Matt, aka Goose. I went to high school with this kid and have seen him exactly zero times since we graduated but I’m wishing that that wasn’t the case after reading this. It’s hysterical in a ‘oh-crap-I’m-totally-F*ing-guilty-of-this’ sort of way. If you are 20-something-ish or younger and have ever posted lyrics in your AIM away message/Myspace Profile/Facebook status, and your white, you’ve probably posted one of these lyrics. Or if you’re me, 6.5  of  them (not that Zac Brown song but definitely two others…crap). I’m apparently super white. Just read it.

from Matt's blog, The Goosefiles

from Matt’s blog, The Goosefiles

I can’t NOT post my favorite Dropkick Murphy’s song, Wicked Sensitive Crew, 2 days before St. Patrick’s Day,. “…And we sure ain’t vegan!” It’s ok guys. I still love you.

and last but not least, Sunday brunch with friends! These donuts were made for the ‘donuts and carbs’ brunch we had a few weekends ago. That theme wasn’t intentional but no one cared. The food was excellent.

DSC_2121

Are you even seeing all the donuts on that table?! This was my contribution to the brunch:

Thin Mint Donuts

from Cheeky Kitchen;

For the Donuts:

  • 1 cup garbanzo beans
  • 1/2 cup almond milk
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tablespoons vanilla
  • 1 tsp white vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon Earth Balance ‘butter’, melted
  • 1 cup vegan chocolate chips, melted
  • 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

For the Glaze:

  • 1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips, melted
  • 2 tablespoons Earth Balanc, melted
  • 1 tablespoon almond milk
  • 1/2 tablespoon vanilla
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/8 tsp of peppermint extract (or more to taste)

In a blender, combine garbanzo beans, almond milk, baking powder, vanilla, white vinegar, salt, sugar, and melted butter. Blend until pureed. Transfer to a large bowl and blend with the melted chocolate chips and flour. Transfer to a large zip-top bag and allow the dough to sit for about 5-10 minutes before snipping the corner of the bag, and piping into donut pans that have been generously sprayed with nonstick baking spray. Be gentle. This is a thick, sticky dough and I definitely popped my the ziploc bag I was using. Trust me, you do not want to have to spoon this dough in. I made such a mess!

Bake in an oven preheated to 350 degrees for 9-11 minutes, or just until the donuts set. Remove and cool for 3-5 minutes before turning your donuts onto a cooling rack.

For the Glaze:

Melt everything in a double boiler and frost the donuts!

DSC_2113

Two weekends ago, before donut baking, I would have bet you a million dollars I had two, large, regular donut bans. I would have lost. Apparently, I only own heart shape pans. Nothing screams St. Patty’s day like heart donuts? Just roll with it…

DSC_2112

Ok, I think this may be my last St. Patty’s Day post. I was hoping to post one more dessert recipe tomorrow (guinness truffles? Carbomb cupcakes?) but I’m not sure if I will get the chance. Double check on Saturday just in case. If you are celebrating all things irish this weekend, be safe! Don’t drink and drive! That’s illegal. Don’t wander around completely drunk! That’s dangerous. Don’t urinate in public. That’s also illegal, I hear. Don’t drunk text exes! That’s also dangerous…and dumb.  Be smart. And may the luck of the irish be with you!

Read Full Post »

No-Bake Chocolate Peppermint Bars

Posted in Recipes, tagged , , , , on September 27, 2012| 2 Comments »

So, let me introduce you to no-bake Chocolate Peppermint Bars. I’ve made these twice now: once, they came out, well, not so great. I may have, possibly, dumped an entire canister of salt into the food processor instead of 1/2 tsp. Then, because I had used the last of my cocoa powder for these bars and had no other desserts lined up for a snack for the week, I may have spent 30 minutes oh-so-carefully scooping out as much of the salt as I possibly could in an attempt to salvage these bars.

Not surprisingly, that didn’t really work and the end result was a very, VERY salty dessert bar that I attempted to eat so I wouldn’t waste it. And even less surprising, I had to throw them out half way through because I just couldn’t torture myself anymore.

BUT, as fate would have it, Angela at Oh She Glows ended up posting a sugar-free version a week or so later, which I was even more excited to try! See, everything in life happens for a reason.

Chocolate Peppermint Bars
from Oh She Glows

  • 1 cup packed, pitted Medjool dates (approx 12)
  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • 2 tbsp cocoa powder
  • 1/4 tsp fine grain sea salt, or to taste
  • 2 tbsp almond milk
  • 1/2 tsp peppermint extract, or to taste
  • 1/2 cup walnuts
  • 1/4 cup almonds
  • 4 tbsp mini dark chocolate chips (I use Enjoy Life) or chopped chocolate
  • 1-2 tbsp large flake unsweetened coconut, for garnish, or, I used unsweetened flaked coconut

Line a loaf pan with two pieces of parchment paper, one going each way. Set aside. In a food processor, process the pitted dates until chopped and sticky.

Add in the rolled oats, cocoa powder, salt, peppermint extract, and almond milk. Process until combined, scraping down the side of the bowl as needed.

Add in the nuts and chocolate chips and pulse until combined and sticky. It should be sticky enough to easily make a ball.

Crumble mixture all over prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle a handful of coconut on top and press mixture into pan with slightly wet fingers. Cover with a piece of parchment paper and roll out smooth with a pastry roller.

Freeze for about 15 minutes or until set. Slice into 6 rows and then slice rows in half to make 12 small bars.

These little bars would be great to munch on while your picking apples, having a picnic on a nice fall day or on a road trip to check out the foliage! And you know, for lunch boxes and stuff.

Read Full Post »

Chocolate Mint Cupcakes

Posted in Recipes, tagged , , , , on May 29, 2012| 2 Comments »

My Memorial Day weekend consisted off:

– Tudors marathon on BBC America (seriously, Natalie Dormer made the best Anne Boleyn! All the other wives were so dull. And Henry Cavill…yes please!)

– Doing ALL my laundry, which took forever

– Celebrating a belated Mother’s Day. I baked Mom some Strawberry Margaritas Cupcakes. Dad made us some yummy grilled veggies and pasta. It was the only grilled food I had this weekend. Bummer! I’m remedying that tonight though

– Working

– Watching the new Underworld. What’s this? Underworld 5? Bring it!

– Cooking and baking…a lot! I made almond joy cake balls for Melinda’s birthday (she’s been telling me she wanted these for her birthday since I made them the first time- I’m not exaggerating). And I made these yummy cupcakes!

I know they are a bit of a cop-out because I’ve made the chocolate cupcakes before BUT the mint frosting and chocolate glaze are so yummy! I had to share them with you.

Chocolate Mint Cupcakes

cupcake:
My Perfect Chocolate Cupcake recipe found here

Mint cream:
from easybaked.net

  • 2.5 cups confectioner’s sugar
  • 1 tsp peppermint extract
  • 1/4 c. melted butter
  • water
  • green food coloring (optional)

Chocolate Glaze:

  • 6 oz vegan chocolate
  • 2 TBSP butter

Prepare the cupcakes according to the recipe. Allow to cool completely.

For the mint cream, mix the confectioners sugar, butter and peppermint extract together. If the mixture is not coming together, or is too dry, add a little water until it is a spreadable consistency. Add food color if you want. Spread on the cupcakes and put them in the fridge for about 30 minutes- 1 hour until the mint cream has hardened.

For the chocolate glaze, melt the chocolate and butter together in a double boiler (or a microwave). Once melted, spoon the chocolate on the cupcake.

Tonight, I party it up with Melinda and crew. We’re hanging out, grilling, eating and going out drinking- all the things that make a good party! Pictures (and recipes, or course!) to come.

Read Full Post »

My December Addictions- Therapy and Mint Chocolate

Posted in Recipes, tagged , , , , , , on December 21, 2011| Leave a Comment »

 

As you may have noticed, I bit off a little more than I could chew this holiday season. In September, when my regular job was slow, I thought it would be a brilliant idea to get a second job and use all that money to boost my pathetic savings account. So, in October, I optimistically entered the retail world! All was going well until about mid-november when the shit hit the fan- the intensity level of both my jobs got cranked to 11 (spinal tap reference anyone? Anyone? Bueller?)

Anyways, as a way to cope with this over-worked craziness that I got myself into, I began to turn to therapy…retail therapy that is. I would distract myself by buying pretty sparkly lights for my christmas tree or an awesomely grouchy mug. It makes me happy! The fact that I work in a book store definitely fuels this therapy. So far, I have used the following items to distract me from work:

– Gray Toms (I’ve worn them almost every day. So comfy)
– A fake tree with purple lights (I already posted a pic of this, which I’m sure you are still marveling at)
– My Horizontal Life by Chelsea Handler (I haven’t read it yet so don’t even ask me what I think of it. As if I have time to read!)
– The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins ( I already read it but I didn’t actually own it. You’ve read it right? It’s awesome! Buy it tonight if you haven’t!!)
– A new large teddy bear (Best. Purchase. Ever. He’s so cuddly and warm!)
– A black mug that says ‘Bah Humbug!’ (so appropriate)
– More lip products then I will probably use in my life (Tokyomilk- Let Them Eat Cake lip balm, which the seller sent me the wrong product for; CO Bigelow’s Rose Salve- obsessed; CO Bigelow’s Mentha Lip Shine- love; CO Bigelow Coconut lip butter- also love; CO Bigelow Sparkling Apple Cider- so gross…can you tell Bath and Body Works was having a sale? Plus I got 20% off everything! PLUS I got the apple cider one for free…so you know, I saved A LOT of money!)
-A moleskin journal for my food journaling.

oh yeah…and then I bought some presents for people, you know, those family people =)

You will notice that there is no food on there. Yeah… I haven’t had a huge appetite the past week or so. I think my body is boycotting my craziness and is holding out for more sleep. I’ve eaten a lot of brothy soup, kale and, weirdly enough, anything with mint and chocolate, which just happens to be my second addiction. I’m obsessed! I don’t know why. Until two weeks ago, I would have chosen almost anything over mint chocolate, especially peanut butter and chocolate. Now, I can’t be bothered with anything that doesn’t have some chocolate mint combo. I blame this on Melinda and her mint chocolate bailey hot chocolate that she simply forces down my throat each night (that’s a lie). It started me on my addiction. Which is what prompted this recipe. I thought, how could I possibly make mint chocolate baileys and hot chocolate any better? Umm…how about making it into an ice cream shake…obviously.

Now, before you start griping about how Bailey’s isn’t vegan, let me just say this: I know. Melinda bought it, I think, as a sort of ‘thank you for letting me crash at your pad’ offering. So this has been my one shot of dairy I have all day. You can replace this with Silk Chocolate mint soy milk and a little bit of whiskey, which is apparently the ‘spirit’ in Bailey’s.

Chocolate Mint Ice cream Shakes
servings: 2-4

2 cups (1 container) So Delicious Dairy-Free Chocolate Obsession Ice cream
2 shots of Mint chocolate Bailey’s (or 1.5 shots of Silk Mint Chocolate and .5 shot of whiskey/ vegan irish cream)
Whipped ‘Cream’ (I used Soyatoo Rice Whip, review below)

Add Ice cream and liquid of choice to blender. Blend until smooth. Top with whip cream.

This is the world’s most pathetic blog, ever. So to redeem myself, I’m going to include a review of Rice Whip:

I know that you can make homemade whip cream from Soy creamer but I found this Soyatoo Rice Whip on a quick trip to Whole Foods last week. I had shown up approximately 5 minutes before they closed (I was one of those people) and I was determined not to be one of those selfish people who hang around after a store is closed because they feel like they are entitled to shop for as long as they feel like it. So I grabbed the chocolate ice cream and raced to the dairy section to see if I could find a whip cream substitute. When I saw the rice whip, I thought I’d give it a try.

I should have saved my money. It’s so weird! It has the exact same texture as whipped cream except it tastes exactly like white rice. It’s the most bizarre sensation! The general consensus between Melinda and I was that it would have been significantly better if it was a bit sweeter. There didn’t seem to be any sweeteners or flavors, like vanilla extract, or anything. It was just foamed white rice. So weird! I didn’t love it. I think I would have preferred to just make whipped cream from scratch. BUT I got to review a new vegan product for you so, yeah!

 

 

I’m going to try to make those chocolate mint cookies vegan for you. Tune in on Friday!

Read Full Post »